Window cleaner



Sept. 22, 1959 H. OBERGFELL 2,904,807

WINDOW CLEANER Filed Nov. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Hermann Ubezy/e/l Sept. 22, 1959 H.,OBERGFELLU 2,904,807

wmoow CLEANER Filed Nov. 15, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Herman]? Qbergfe/l United States Patent WINDOW CLEANER Hermann Obergfell, Elmhurst, 11L, assignor to Badger Tool 8: Mfg. Co., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illi- 11018 Application November 15, 1957, Serial No. 696,737

8 Claims. (Cl. 15-105) This invention relates generally to sturdy durable rustproof Window cleaner tools. More specifically, the present invention concerns a T-shaped window cleaning tool of the type where the stern comprises the handle and the cross bar comprises a clamp with the handle and clamp being in assembly together. The clamp includes superimposed advantageously shaped plates which plates have disposed between them window cleaning elements and with fasteners provided for securing the plates in assembly together and with the window cleaning elements.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved highly durable window cleaning tool which may be used to clean windows, to paint screens, to clean other types of surfaces, and the like.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a Window cleaning tool which lends itself to being economically manufactured on a large production basis and which is of a rust-proof construction to prolong the useful life of a tool.

According to the general features of this invention there is provided a reinforced T-shaped device for cleaning windows and the like including a clamp having superimposed irregularly configurated mated plates joined together with the plates having areas nested with respect to one another. The plates have side wing structure having outer tip ends and an arched portion bulged outwardly in a direction towards the outer tip ends for reinforcing the clamp placing the arched portion in closer proximity to the tip ends. The central arched portions on the plates have radiuses with a common midpoint and are in nested assembly. Handle structure is fastened to the clamp at the area where the central arched portions are in nested assembly. Still further, Window cleaning structure is retainingly supported by the side wing structure and fastener structure is provided connecting the plates together and in clamped assembly with the window cleaning structure.

Other features of the present invention relate to the new and improved manner in which the handle structure is connected with the lowermost of the superimposed plates in a manner to allow the arched portions to be placed in nested assembly without interference from the handle structure.

Still other features of the present invention concern the provision of interlocking embossments on one of the plates and on one of the cleaning elements whereby the cleaning element may be reversed in an upside down manner and re-engaged with the corresponding embossments on the lowermost plate thereby prohibiting cocking of the cleaning element, enabling interlocked engagement between the cleaning element and the plates, and extending the life of the cleaning element by enabling it to be turned upside down to utilize its opposite edge surface.

Other objects and features of the present invention will more fully become apparent in view of the following detail description taken in conjunction with the accomice " view partially in elevation, taken substantially on the line IIIIII of Figure 2 looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of an end of the handle stem at the area where the stem is to be connected to the clamp;

Figure 5 is an enlarged plan view of the lowermost clamp plate;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view illustrating the end of the handle in assembly with the lowermost clamp plate;

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the manner in which the plate is in interlocked assembly with one of the cleaning elements to prohibit cocking; and

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view somewhat similar to Figure 3 only showing a bolt type fastener in elevation.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally my T- shaped scraper or cleaning tool which includes a handle structure 11. The handle structure 11 is provided with an elongated tubular shaft or stem 12 which is secured at one end with a handle grip 13 which handle grip in Y the illustrated formv is comprised of wood. The handle to be engaged in assembly with a clamp structure indicated generally at 18. The clamp structure 18 includes superimposed upper and lower nested generally W-shaped plates 19 and 20. The plates 19 and 20 have arcuate portions 19a and 20a. Connected to the opposite sides of the arcuate portions 19a and 20a are diverging sidewings 19b19b and 20b-20b.

As will be observed in Figure 3, the arched or arcuate portion 19a of the upper of the plates is slightly narrower than the arched or arcuate portion 20a of the lower of the plates so that in the nested centrally aligned relationship of the arched portions, the Wing flanges 20b, 20b on the sides of the wider arched portion 20a of the lower plate are disposed in spaced opposed paired relation to the wing flanges 19b, 19b of the upper of the plates so as to enable clamping of the interposed window cleaning members therebetween. It will also be noted that the junctures of the wing flanges with the respective arched portions of the plates provide rigid reinforcing ribs directed oppositely to and coacting with the arched portions to rigidly reinforce the plates. The lowermost plate 20 is provided with a depressed or recessed area 21 on the arcuate portion 20a midway between the ends of the plate 200:. The recessed area 21 is provided with a passageway 21a which passage-Way has arcuate sidewall areas which are both concave and also, convex. The convex sidewall areas are indicated at 21b. (Figure 5) and provide abutments for purposes Which will hereafter become apparent.

7 most plate 20 is provided with an annular radially offset upper end portion I21) through the passageway 21a with the upper end portion having its terminal edge area 120 curled laterally or radially outwardly into engagement with the recessed area 21 so that the stem engages the recessed area 21 on its upper and lowersurface areas by means of the rib 12a and the curled edge 120. 7

To insure that the lower plate "20 does not revolve about the stem 12 the upper end portion 12b has opposed concave'ly curved identations or indented areas 12d. These indented areas 12:! when aligned with the abutrnents 21b and engaged therewith operate to insure that the plate 2s will not rotate relative to the stem 12.

Thus when the stem 12 is interlocked witlrthe recessed area 21 the end of the stem assumes a generally S-shaped cross sectional configuration with the annular curled portions 12a and 12c being disposed on opposite sides of the recessed area 21 or passage 21a, as is evident from Figure 6 and the stem lies wholly within'the recess defined by the recessed area 21 enabling the arcuate portion 1% to be nestingly abutted against the arcuate portion 22a without interference from the stem.

Engaged between the diverging wing portions 19b-'2i b, 19b, 2% are cleaning elements 23 and 24. The cleaning element 24 is provided with a longitudinal recessed area 24a in which a longitudinal rib 25 on the side wing portion 29b is engaged to prohibit the cleaning element 24 from moving out of assembly when the plates 19 and 20 are clamped together. To further resist disassembly of the cleaning element 24, the side wing portion 2% is inclined or turned toward the associated side wing 19b enabling the tip end of the side wing 2% to bite into the cleaning element 24. Since the cleaning element 24 is illustrated as comprising a rubber blade structure the tip end of the side wing portion 201) may readily bite into the rubber blade 24.

The cleaning element 23 is comprised of plastic or other suitable materials and operates as a scraper. Plastic may be preferred over metal since metal has a greater tendency to scratch glass. Along the longitudinal extent of the scraper 23 are a series of H-shaped embossings 23a. it will be noted the cross-bar of the H is disposed generally at right angles to the outer scraping edge of the scraper 23. The lowermost plate 29 and more particularly the side wing 2% is provided with T-shaped embossments 26 which are in alignment with the embossments 23a on the scraper 23. Thus, when the scraper 23 is disposed between the plates 19 and 20 a T-shaped portion of the H-shaped embossments 23a are engaged in the T-shaped embossment on the side wing Zilb thus prohibiting the scraper 23 from being disengaged from the plates 19 and 20 when they are clamped together and preventing cooking of the scraper 23 relative to the plates 19 and 20.

The plates 19 and 20 may be secured together in any suitable manner and as illustrated in Figures 2, 3, and 7, rivets 27 are shown which rivets pass through the arcuate portions 1% and 29a clamping them together in nested relation. The arcuate portions 19a and Zila are readily mated since they comprise arcs formed from a common midpoint only with slightly different radiuses.

In Figure 8 is shown a modified form of the invention wherein screws 28 are utilized to clamp the arcuate portions 19a and Zita in assembly. The embossments 23a and 26 are particularly related with respect to one another so that when the scraper 23 becomes worn the rivets 27 or the screws 28 may be removed and the scraper turned upside down in a manner to allow another T- shaped portion of the H-shaped embossment to be interl'ockingly engaged within the embossment 26 provided on the lowermost plate 29 thereby extending the useful life span of the scraper blade 23 and the tool 10.

To further increase the life span of the T-shaped tool 10 the stem 12 along with the plates 19 and 20 are comprised of or are coated with a rust resistant material. The stem 12 along with the plates 19 nad 20 may be comprised of aluminum or aluminum alloy or other suitable materials to provide a rust-resistant tool 10.

To assemble the elements of the tool 10, the stem 12 may be initially fastened to the plate 20 in the manner previously described. Thereafter, the handle 13 may be telescopingly engaged with the tubular stem 12 in assembly therewith. At this point, the cleaning elements '23 and 24 may be disposed between the side wings 19b-20b, 19b-2t b and the arcuate portions 19a and 29a may be either riveted or screwed together as is illustrated. It is in this manner that the cleaning elements 23 and 24 are clamped in assembly with the clamped structure 18.

The present application is related to applicants copending application for patent entitled Window Cleaner, Serial No. 618,255.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the present invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a window cleaning device, a pair of elongated and relatively narrow metal plates each having a longitudinal transversely arched portion and at each long side of the arched portion of each plate a marginal wing flange extending angularly to the respective arched portion and flaring divergently relative to the wing flange on the opposite long side in each instance, the arched portion of one of said plates being slightly wider than the arched. portion of the other of said plates, the junctures of said wing flanges with the respective arched portions providing rigid reinforcing ribs directed oppositely to and coacting with said arched portions to rigidly reinforce the plates, the plates being assembled with said wider arched portion of said one plate nested firmly into the arched portion of the other plate and with the wing flanges on the sides of the wider arched portion disposed in spaced opposed paired relation to the wing flanges-of the other of said plates, means securing the arched portions together, respective strip type window cleaning members retainingly clamped between the respec tive pairs of wing flanges, and a handle secured to said one plate and projecting away from the assembled plates, the handle being fastened to the lowermost of said plates at the area where said arched portions of the plates are in nested assembly, the lowermost of the plates having a recessed area offset in a direction away from the uppermost of the plates including upper and lower surfaces with the recessed area having a passageway therethrough, and said handle including a tubular shaft having a laterally offset area adjacent its upper end portion with the upper end portion extended through the passageway having its terminal edge area curled laterally outwardly with the laterally oflset area bearing against the lower surface and with the curled terminal edge bearing against the upper surface interlocking the handle to the lowermost plate.

2. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the curled terminal edge lying totally within the confines of the recess defined by the recessed area with the plates being superimposed and nested with respect to one another without interference with the curled terminal edge and the handle.

3. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the upper end portion being provided with an indented area and said recessed area about said passageway including an abutment portion engaged in said indented area precluding relative turning'between the lowermost plate and the handle.

4. The device of claim 1 further characterized by the tubular shaft at the area where interlocked with the recessed area being S-shaped in cross-section with annular curled portions of the 8 being disposed on opposite sides of the recessed area securing the tubular shaft in assembly with the recessed area.

5. A reinforced T-shaped device for cleaning windows and the like including handle structure and a clamp having a connection, the clamp having superimposed irregularly configurated mated plates joined together and with the plates having areas nested with respect to one another, said plates having side wing structure having outer diverging tip ends extending away from the handle structure and central arched portions buldged upwardly in a direction away from the handle structure between the outer tip ends for reinforcing the connection between the handle structure and the clamp placing the arched portion in closer proximity to the tip ends, said central arched portions on said plates having radiuses with a common midpoint and being in nested assembly, the handle structure being fastened to said clamp at the area where said central arched portions are in nested assembly, and window cleaning structure retainingly supported by the side wing structure, the lowermost of the superimposed plates having a recessed area offset in a direction away from the upmost of the plates including upper and lower surfaces with the recessed area having a passageway therethrough, and said handle structure including a tubular shaft having a laterally oifset area adjacent its upper end portion with the upper end portion extended through the passageway having its terminal edge area curled laterally outwardly with the laterally ofiset area bearing against the lower surface and with the curled terminal edge bearing against the upper surface interlocking. the handle structure to the lowermost plate.

6. The device of claim 5 further characterized by the curled terminal edge lying totally within the confines of the recess defined by the recessed area 'with the plates being superimposed and nested with respect to one another without interference with the curled terminal edge and the handle structure.

7. The device of claim 5 further characterized by the upper end portion being provided with an indented area and said recessed area about said passageway including an abutment portion engaged in said indented area precluding relative turning between the clamp and said handle structure.

8. The device of claim 5 further characterized by the tubular shaft at the area where interlocked with the recessed area being S-shaped in cross-section with annular curled portions of the 8 being disposed on opposite sides of the recessed area securing the tubular shaft in assembly with the recessed area.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,563,940 Krasberg Aug. 4, 1951 2,721,346 Mora Oct. 25, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 16,416 Great Britain June 12, 1902 

